


is it too much to ask?

by remi_mae



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 乐华七子NEXT | NEX7, 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, M/M, Misunderstandings, and i got this idea so i started writing and i don't??? hate it???, and this is the first fic i've written in years, bg zeren/xinchun because this is just self indulgent, but no one seems to ship, i proof read it but i'm sick and tired (literally) so i probably missed something, if you spot a misspelling let me know!!, look i've slept like nine hours in the past three days bc i'm sick, not betaed or anything, so of course i'm going to include the ship i think is adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 05:58:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15090470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remi_mae/pseuds/remi_mae
Summary: in which xukun and zhengting are paired together for a school project, there are misunderstandings and zhengting's friends are protective to say the least.or, xukun is convinced zhengting's friends hate him and he just wants to know why.





	is it too much to ask?

**Author's Note:**

> lapslock because i started writing this on my phone. like i said in the tags, i'm literally sick and tired, so while i've proof read this, i probably missed something, so please point it out if i have, or if anything doesn't make sense. this is the first fic i've written in years (like since 2012 or something) and the first for any kind of idol (unsurprisingly it's for npc/ip/nex7 lmao)
> 
> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated and you can find me on tumblr @ jinsxuls (my main) and huang-xinchun (nex7/ahnwoong/yuehua sprouts sb) i also suck at titles asdfghjk so that might change if i think of something better lol

"i think your friends hate me," xukun says while they're in the library, blissfully alone for once. zhengting cocks his head to the side when he looks up, the confused look on his face making xukun wonder, for what has to be the dozenth time, if zhu zhengting was actually the older between the two.  
  
"what do you mean? why do you say that?" zhengting looks genuinely confused, like he somehow hasn't noticed the six younger kids glaring at xukun from across the library or cafeteria, depending on where they had decided to work. the younger three were the worst about it - despite still being in high school, fan chengcheng, li quanzhe and huang minghao seemed to be everywhere zhengting was if the older three weren't, and none of them were very subtle.  
  
of course, the older three weren't much better, but while bi wenjun and huang xinchun were both tall, they were also harmless (except to themselves maybe.) it was really only ding zeren that actually concerned (read: scared) him. he might have been the shortest of the admittedly tall group of friends, a year younger than he was and a freshman at IP university, but xukun had also seen him get angry when someone almost knocked xinchun down the stairs. it was not something he wanted to be on the receiving end of.  
  
"just a feeling," xukun settles for saying, fiddling with his pen.  
  
zhengting pouts slightly, an action so adorable, he's convinced it could end wars - at least it manages to break up quanzhe and minghao bickering about... whatever it is the high school kids bicker about, which is close enough really.  
  
"they don't hate you," zhengting says, reaching his hand across the table to pat xukun's. "i've seen them hate people. they're not quiet about it at all."  
  
xukun is about to ask why they don't seem to like him then, because even if they don't _hate_ him, they clearly don't _like_ him, when zhengting's phone buzzes quietly on the table. his face light's up a little and he just nods when the older says he has to go, that he'll see xukun tomorrow to continue working on their project.  
  
xukun's barely heaved out a soft sigh, head falling backwards as he leans back in the stiff library chair, when the previously abandoned seat is pulled out and someone else sits down.  
  
"you okay bro?" asks the voice of wang ziyi and xukun lets his head roll around to the front. he's met with an amused smile, and a touch of concern. it's nice.  
  
"yeah, i'm okay." he says, stretching out in his seat. he starts packing up his things; it's obvious ziyi didn't sit down to study himself - his messenger bag is still slung across his body and the older boy has made no movement to get anything out of it. "wanna get dinner?"  
  
the amused, fond smile turns into a full blown grin. "thought you'd never ask."  
  


\---

  
okay, now he's 100% convinced zhengting's friends hate him, regardless of what he says. what other explanation is there for the three youngest glaring at him from across a restaurant?  
  
he and ziyi opt for fast food - because they're both broke college students, and between his playing basketball and ziyi dancing, fast food a few times a month won't hurt anything. when they get there, xukun notices one huang minghao sitting alone at a table. it's obvious he's not actually alone - there are three school bags, and minghao is staring rather forlornly at two figures in line ahead of him and ziyi. then he spots xukun and minghao glares - until chengcheng and quanzhe make their way over with the food. minghao seems distracted for a minute, but when xukun and ziyi finish ordering and get their food, he can practically feel someone glaring at him.  
  
turns out to be three someones. at least chengcheng and quanzhe have the decency to look a little put out, being caught glaring. minghao not so much.  
  
"what's with them?" ziyi gestures with a fry before popping it in his mouth. when xukun looks over, minghao is still staring but the other two look more interested in the food.  
  
"they're zhengting's kids," xukun says by way of explanation. ziyi just lets out a quiet "ah,"  
  
although the wording had been odd at first, zhengting really does act like a parent to the younger kids. he makes sure they eat, helps them with their school work if he can. he looks after them and they're clearly very protective of him, none more so than minghao, who has apparently known him forever.  
  
"he did just get back from an exchange," ziyi points out, "they probably just don't want anyone else monopolizing his attention," xukun nods slowly, sipping at his drink.  
  
that _does_ make a lot of sense. the previous semester zhengting had been on an exchange to some university in south korea. xukun hadn't known them then, not more than in passing, but from what he's gathered, wenjun isn't much of a mom friend, or at least not in the same way as zhengting.  
  
"they never glare at you though," xukun points out, frowning a little. "or chaoze or yanchen."  
  
"we all dance with him?" ziyi shrugged, popping the last of his burger in his mouth, leaving xukun to think until he finished. "you're sort of an unknown to them, maybe that's it."

\---

  
he decides he's just going to ask. he and xinchun share one class, mandatory for second years, and when their professor is running late, xukun decides to take advantage of it. it's about the only time he'll see any of them alone - he doesn't share any classes with wenjun or zeren, and zeren almost always walks xinchun to his next class, so if he wants to know, he has to ask now.  
  
xinchun startles a little when xukun sits down next to him. he's just fiddling with his phone, so xukun doesn't feel (too) bad about interrupting.  
  
"why do you guys hate me?" it's short, sweet and to the point, because he's not sure how much longed until their professor shows up and ruins his chance to ask.  
  
"what?" is the only reply he gets.  
  
"you guys - your boyfriend, wenjun, chengcheng, quanzhe and minghao. you're always glaring at me - why?" xinchun worries his lip for a moment, eyes flickering to his phone.  
  
"you like zhengting, don't you?" it catches him off guard, that much must be obvious.  
  
"of course i like him, who doesn't?" he's far too kind not to like, and xukun doesn't think he's heard anyone say anything bad about zhengting like, ever, except maybe that he's too nice.  
  
xinchun gives him a look though, one that says that was the wrong answer (it's not an intimidating look, especially not when the other boys hair is mussed up, he's wearing a minion earring and his phone case has the cover of the little prince on it.)  
  
"no - you have a crush on him, don't you?" xukun's lips form an 'o' and xinchun looks a little annoyed before continuing. "you know ting-ge has a boyfriend, right?" he starts to shake his head - but low and behold, their professor decides to show up _then_ and he's forced back over to his seat, xinchun just looking annoyed at him - he taps away at his phone for a moment before turning it over as the professor starts to talk.  
  
xukun can't focus for the rest of class.

\---

 

"my university career has turned into a cliche drama," is the first thing put of his mouth when he gets back to his dorm. ziyi looks up from his computer, pressing a button and removing his headphones.

"what?" xukun repeats himself before flopping face first into ziyi's bed. it smells nice - like the laundry detergent they both use but also just like ziyi. it smells like home.

"okay, explain?" ziyi moves from his desk over to his bed, carding his fingers through xukun's hair a moment.

"my professor was late, so i decided to ask xinchun why they seem to hate me. he tells me zhengting has a boyfriend - they think i like him." ziyi doesn't say anything for a moment before he starts laughing. xukun lets out a frustrated noise and goes back to trying to smoother himself in ziyi's pillow.

"you didn't tell him so do you?" ziyi asks once his laughter has subsided some.

"professor showed up. didn't get a chance - and zeren was waiting for him when class was finished." ziyi doesn't say anything, but also doesn't laugh again. instead, he just rests his hand on top of xukun's head - he nuzzles up into slightly.

"you're meeting up later to work on your project, right?" ziyi asks, voice quiet, after a few minutes. xukun's almost nodded off, so he sits up and blinks a few times before answering.

"yeah," then he lets out a groan, "zhengting said the kids would probably be there, at least for a bit." ziyi doesn't look sympathetic at all, and xukun starts to pout but is cut off before he can.

"i'll come with you then." xukun is confused. "i think they'd get the hint that you don't like zhengting if you showed up with your boyfriend,"

(in retrospect, the fact that they're not very affectionate in public explains the fact that zhengting's friends were unaware that he and ziyi had been dating for almost six months by that point. their friends knew, but they didn't go around flaunting their relationship or anything, and they (somehow) hadn't been the subject of any rumours. he's pretty sure they might be now, considering the screech minghao let out when he spotted them approaching, holding hands. it got them kicked out of the library for a week if nothing else.

totally worth it.)

**Author's Note:**

> ting's bf is supposed to be rainz' hong eunki (because I am Weak for them) which is why I mention ting having been on an exchange in korea previously, but i didn't get to actually mention eunki by name alksjalkfja (anyway stan talent stan rainz) i was also going to imply ot3 chengcheng/quanzhe/justin, thus all three being there to glare at xukun - the babies were on a cute lil dinner date - but i don't think it was really implied lol


End file.
